The Great Escape Dive Boat / Long Beach ...

[wxyz]

You should go to the SoCal room and do a search of our Fav Dive Boats... we all spoke up about the pros and cons of the major So Cal boats. Here's my list

i've done a few searches here for that^^^ thread, but can't find anything...

can anyone help?

thanks in advance

 

[YakSpout]

Spot on, Mo.

I, my wife and a buddy took this boat for a 3-day trip over the Fourth of July this year. Great stuff. We were a little overwhelmed as it was our first trip out in California and we were working on AOW that weekend. Lots to do underwater so we didn't get to see too much down there.

The crew managed to squeeze in about 5 dives and a night dive each for Sat and Sun, then 3 dives before heading home on Monday.

Chef Mikey did a great job keeping us full of energy and the ice cream and hot, fresh brownies on the ride back to Long Beach were a great way to cap off the trip.

There's a write-up of the trip at the ReefSeekers webpage.

You should go to the SoCal room and do a search of our Fav Dive Boats... we all spoke up about the pros and cons of the major So Cal boats. Here's my list

* Good (not excellent) use of deck space - lots of room. There is not enough room for all divers to store their bags under the bench - so get there early if you want to live out of your bag, or else it will be on the bow.

* No Nitrox. Good fills, tho.

* Camera area is good, not excellent. Lots of AC, which is important to those of us charging more than camera batts (dive light batts, lap top batts, etc.)

* Galley serves down the middle - very efficient. There is also enough room in the galley to seat a full boat. The food is better than some, not as good as others. But efficient serving and seating means you'll get hot food and you can sit down to eat. Hot food is always a plus!

* Staterooms are available. I crash, so its no biggie. If you're coming with a family or sig other, might be worth considering.

* Heads are clean, but a little funky. There are two with outside entry, which makes things a little tricky at night or when its rough. The heads are probably the feature of this boat I like the least.

* Bunk room and bunks are as comfy or more comfy and roomy than a lot of the boats out here. I like the GE bunkroom, as you access it from inside... so its usually not all damp and yukky feeling.

* Groovy Playboy Mansion c.1972 circular staircase repleat with rope lights (no kidding.) Very retro, very hip. Shelves in the bunk room so you're not sleeping with your bag on your bunk. Another plus.

* Cap and crew are top notch. Never an issue.

* Two gates. Always a plus. Getting back on is not as easy as some boats, as I'm not a big fan of the swimstep. But of you're in reasonable shape, its no biggie.

* SC charters this boat a lot - which usually means lots of students and dumbed-down dive sites. I usually try to get on when its NOT an SC charter.

* There is a cool oasis upstairs on the top deck - potted palms and the like. Kinda cool to hang out with a cigar and watch shooting stars at night.


I like this boat a lot. Probably my second fav in the So Cal fleet.

K

 

[Kevrumbo]

Latest news is that Capt. Tim is looking to sell the operation:
http://diver.net/bbs/posts001/57315.shtml
Anybody wanna go halves?

 

[Code Monkey]

My girlfriend booked me and a friend for a one day Catalina trip on Sept. 18th

Well, I can't tell you anything about it but we'll be learning together -- my wife and I are going out on the 18th (tomorrow). Look forward to seeing you there!

 

[wetrat]

Latest news is that Capt. Tim is looking to sell the operation:
http://diver.net/bbs/posts001/57315.shtml
Anybody wanna go halves?

Wow that's interesting. Wonder what that operation grosses a year.

 

[JDog]

Latest news is that Capt. Tim is looking to sell the operation:
http://diver.net/bbs/posts001/57315.shtml
Anybody wanna go halves?

The Largest bottle of "TUMS" I have ever seen must have run out.